It’s official: Shohei Ohtani, the so-called Babe Ruth of Japan, will take up his new life in the United States as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
After meeting face to face with seven major league teams, but not, surprisingly, the Yankees, Ohtani, the star pitcher and designated hitter of the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan, settled on a big-market club on the West Coast. He will now set about trying to become baseball’s first two-way star since the player who, nearly 100 years ago, inspired his nickname.
For a $20 million posting fee, a fairly modest bonus, and a minimum-salary contract in 2018, the Angels get a 23-year-old player who is one year removed from being named the Most Valuable Player of Japan’s Pacific League.